Are you aware of the cyberattacks on Microsoft Exchange? The global hacking groups found vulnerabilities in the systems, which gave them access to the email accounts of 30,000 organizations. Similarly, the cyberattack on SolarWinds pushed away 18,000 customers and compromised the data of 100 private corporations.
With increasing digitalization, such cyberattacks will continue to grow. The only way to protect your business is by having a vigorous security solution. After all, there are many extortions to ignore the risks. One attack on your cloud servers can leak tons of data, putting the company under hefty fines and penalties. At the same time, malware can disrupt workflows, affecting productivity levels. All in all, cyberattacks can cost a business its survival.
So, how to protect, prepare, and avoid these attacks? You can install firewalls and protect the system with passwords as a precautionary measure, but that’s not all. You have to hire cybersecurity personnel, train your staff, and create a protection plan. If you don’t know much about this, let us help you protect your confidential information. Here are six ways to avoid and prepare for a breach of cybersecurity.
- Educate & Train Employees
Most cybercriminals manipulate the company’s employees to get access to data. They send duplicitous emails pretending to be someone in the same organization. Due to lack of awareness, employees fall into this setup and share confidential data. After all, links seem legitimate, making it easy for a person to fall into the trap. Therefore, the first step to avoiding a cyberattack is employee training. You have to explain what suspicious emails look like and how malware can attack the system.
Furthermore, offer opportunities so that employees can brush up on their cybersecurity knowledge.
You can also invite experts for training sessions to ensure that all employees are up-to-date on the latest techniques and knowledge.
Cyber security experts can warn you about the latest scams breaches and how to identify malicious activities.
The field of cybersecurity is booming with opportunities, and with online education, professionals have a new way to further their careers and grow in the field. So, if you want to make your mark in this industry and emerge as an expert, there are two paths forward: pursue either a bachelor’s or masters cyber security online.
- Control Security Access
Giving authorized access to everyone in the organization can make you more prone to cyberattacks. After all, anyone can plug in a USB containing infected files, corrupting your entire system. Therefore, you have to control security access to your computers. Employees who don’t require information shouldn’t be allowed to access it.
For example, the sales or marketing staff shouldn’t have permission to log into the accounting servers. Hence, setting such security parameters will avoid unrestricted access into the systems, reducing the likelihood of cyberattacks. Moreover, you can protect your systems with two-factor authentication or biometric scans. It will ensure no one can access the system except for authorized personnel.
- Ensure Compliance
Nowadays, many companies outsource one of their core business operations. Some entrepreneurs are getting payroll from third-party vendors, whereas others use external parties for logistics. It is crucial to know who these people are; otherwise, companies can open themselves to significant threats. What if the company managing your accounts sells data on the dark web?
You have to be careful about the data you share with external vendors. In addition, impose regulations and limits on data third parties can view. Implementing these precautions can sound like a hassle for the IT department but will save you from a multi-million-dollar data breach. Besides this, you can ensure that third-party vendors comply with privacy laws.
- Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan
Despite preventive measures, hackers can still break into the systems. Any idea what will you do if your company is under a cyberattack? Having a breach response plan in hand is crucial. It would outline the steps you have to take after a breach has occurred and how to secure the company’s image. It enables the employer to understand potential damages and how to limit the loss of productivity. A good response plan can also prevent negative publicity and restore the lost data.
Now, the question is how to prepare a response plan? Your plan should evaluate what data was lost and how valuable it was to the organization. You can limit damages while restoring public and employees’ confidence by taking swift action.
- Focus on Threat Intelligence
Are you aware of the latest cybercriminal patterns? More than phishing attacks, hackers break into the systems through smart devices connected to Wi-Fi. They unlock the codes of your smart devices, get access to the Wi-Fi and steal all data stored through it. Having an idea of such attacking patterns will allow you to be more proactive than reactive. Perhaps, you can protect your devices with solid passwords that are impossible to guess.
Furthermore, go through Trustwave Global Security Report to deep dive into the modus of today’s skillful attackers. You will learn which type of industries and data attackers are most often targeting. In addition, you will get to know about which vulnerabilities and exploit trends have emerged.
- Use Strong Passwords
Previously, passwords like ‘John123’ were enough to keep the system safe, but not anymore. Today’s hackers are more innovative than ever, making it easy to guess such passwords. Therefore, you have to use passwords that are arduous to decipher. It should have an upper-case letter, numbers, unique character, and length. You have to make it as challenging as possible for cybercriminals to guess and steal your information.
Besides this, make a habit of changing your passwords regularly – every once in three months. Old passwords become a part of data leakages; hence, make sure your employees update their passwords. Lastly, use a different password for every application and software because if one gets leaked, at least your other applications will be secure.
Final Words
Truthfully, most entrepreneurs don’t know where to begin to protect their businesses from cyberattacks. Some stick to firewalls, whereas others secure systems with passwords. Unfortunately, that’s not enough in today’s heavily digitalized world. You have to beware of threats, hire cybersecurity personnel, and train your employees. Today, a fully secured and robust IT infrastructure can protect your business from cyber threats.
